Summary: Grissom is attacked at a crime scene, and he can't really remember what happened. Who is going to help him? A little friendship, a little secret sharing and a fair amount of GSR.

Spoilers: There aren't really going to be any just small references to a few scenes in past episodes. Let's make note that Sara hasn't already opened up to Grissom, as we wouldn't be that far into season five.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or any of the characters believe me I'd love to but I think it's just fine as it is without me spoiling it. I would however, settle for meeting the cast. I do not have a Beta therefore all mistakes are mine.

A big Thank you to everyone who has stuck by this story and reviewed, each and everyone of your thoughts mean a lot to me. I try and reply to them but sometimes I just can't get round to it. Sorry for this update taking so long, I had to rewrite the whole chapter.

xChapter 9x

"I suppose you're wondering why I'm here." Sara said in a monotone voice. She moved to sit on one of the breakfast bar stools positioned on the opposite side of the kitchen. Grissom was stood a few feet away from her, staring at her tense form.

"I have a pretty good idea but you know what I'm like. I might need clarifying." He gave her a half shrug and a playful tone. Still taking in her profile as she looked over one of his walls plastered with butterfly specimens.

She turned back to face him and they both smiled but the brunette's had soon left her face. "It's about the other night and Catherine said you wanted to speak to me."

"Yeah. I do. Ironically, about the former."

Scratching his lightly greying beard, he thought for a moment of the best possible way to tell her what he was feeling without stammering and saying something out of context. Trailing his hands to his cerulean eyes, wiping away any left over tears that could be classed as proven evidence of the rattling nightmare he had suffered minutes before.

Grissom soon remembered Sara waiting impatiently near the kitchen, the concern was still evident on her face and he could see the impending question of how he really was, gently resting on her pink lips. Knowing Sara and her persistence far too well, he was sure she wouldn't give up until he told her the truth.

"What took you so long to answer the door?" He really didn't want to answer the question but then it gave him some time to warm up the conversation and tell her what was crashing around in his brain for so long.

"I was sleeping and I had another nightmare."

Sara bent her head as if to study him like a piece of evidence. "What about?"

"The…the attack." He walked over and joined Sara on the stool positioned next hers. "I remember most of it."

"You okay to talk about it?" She said softly.

"I'm not sure."

"Talk it through with me. As I said before, it's good to get these things off your chest."

Sara had opened up to him, her story was now burned into his memory and he could only imagine how hard it was to recite it to someone else. She had now given him the opportunity and he could only see it as being fair. Grissom had been a very private person, growing up in solitude, he'd never had someone to lean on and if he had to be completely honest, it was the way he wanted it. Things he needed to say always came out more coherent when he wasn't thinking but before he could interpret what he was saying, Grissom's mouth began to move.

"I had moved around the perimeter and found myself in the alley. I started processing but there wasn't anything of importance in the garbage cans or dumpsters. I was going to come back to the body but an obscure amount of boxes looked too conspicuous." Grissom had paused, he took a moment to decipher the images that were running through his mind and squinted his eyes in thought. "I'd moved over to take a look and felt a gun dig into the back of my head. Something registered in my head and I knew whatever was happening was going to be bad. Before I knew it, I was pressed into the wall."

The familiar, salty liquid began to form in his eyes and Sara had caught a glimmer of light shine from the slowly forming tears. Feeling as if nothing she could say would comfort him, she reached for his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"He spoke in a low voice, he threatened you. At that point he had let his guard down and i took a leaf out of your book and fought back, i pulled myself from his grip and the gun went flying. We'd basically swapped positions and i had him against the wall...I can't remember the rest, it's still a little fuzzy."

Sara couldn't believe that he had risked his life in order to stop this man from coming after her. "He threatened me?"

"Yes." Grissom's features were stoic and his voice lacked any distinct signs of emotion.

"What did he say?"

"He...he...argh!" He growled at the clear frustration to say anything involving Sara's well being, if he tried to dodge this question, she would inevitably bring it up again at some point. "He threatened to shoot me if i didn't get rid of the evidence and then...rape you. It scared me to think something like that would happen to you, i wasn't prepared to just stand by and let it transpire."

The room fell silent and without thinking, she began to cry. Taking his cue, Grissom changed the subject and decided to let her in on what he wanted to say to her originally.

"Listen, Sara, when we spoke the other night i meant everything i said. I had treated you unfairly these past few years and i can understand if your unsure of my intentions. Please believe me, I'm not planning on running away from this." He squeezed her hand again so she looked up from the hole she was boring into his floor and see the emotion lining his eyes.

"We do this a lot." She looked down at their hands hoping he'd get her point.

"Do what a lot?" Obviously not.

"Squeeze each others hands. I think we use it as a sign." Sara pulled their joined hands up to his eye line.

Grissom smiled as her meaning registered in his head. "We do. I'm hoping it's comforting you."

"It is." She took a deep breath. "We've managed to overcome all the raw feelings between us over the past couple of weeks and I never thought you'd be able to listen to that tiny voice in your head."

"I didn't at first. I think someone's turning up the volume because it keeps getting louder."

They both laughed and a comfortable silence soon took over the room. The two were leaning on the breakfast bar, hands joined, both deciding to stare at the floor. Moments so intensely heartfelt came between the two very few times and when it did, they tried their hardest to enjoy every second of it.

Still feeling like she needed to be clarified, Sara looked up from the spot on the floor and focused on his bright blue eyes. "I don't want you to regret this, that's what I'm afraid of. Things can change and I know that this could be a sign of one but who's to say that you will feel the same way tomorrow?"

"Sara, I've practically been in love with you since we met and I have no idea who or what possessed me to take no action on it sooner. Sitting here and telling you this is the biggest step I've taken in a very long time and to make myself take it back tomorrow would be the hardest thing. When you dismissed what i said earlier in the diner, i got a glimpse of what i made you feel so many times before. I don't think i could cope with that. I am not prepared to hurt you again Sara, and I'm," He paused a moment then waved his free hand between their two bodies for emphasis. "we're in this for the long run."

Grissom tugged on her hand, indicating her to move towards him. He pulled her into a tight hug and spoke softly in her ear. "If you're still unsure then we'll take it slow."

"Okay." Sara pulled away and kissed him on the cheek then resumed her position in his strong arms. "Thank You."

Warrick was standing in front of his locker, he had been for over half an hour. He was dressed in a dark grey suit and a bright white shirt. Straightening out his tie, Catherine made her way into the locker room and sat down on the bench next to him.

"Court?" She asked casually.

"Uhuh. I'm testifying against Grissom's attacker." Truth be told, he wasn't thrilled to have to attend the court date but someone had to and he obviously had pulled the short straw. Nothing would please Warrick, the rest of the team and most of all Grissom more than to stick the guy behind bars.

He had seen the guy once when Brass proudly dragged him through the hallways of the police department. He was told that the suspects name was Jason Carter; he was only twenty-five and already a cold blooded killer. Catherine had collected the evidence from the scene and tied the same guy to Sara and Grissom's original crime scene.

It was always a depressing sight to see young people turning their lives upside down just to resolve a simple problem. Being young and naïve meant that they never did find the correct and legal solution. This behaviour has always had some sort of effect on the CSI's, no matter how drastic, funny or unusual it was. All they needed to do was remind themselves that they lived in Las Vegas, it wasn't dubbed Sin City for no good reason.

"So you got clawed into it then? Ecklie gave a speech earlier, well more like a rant, about making sure this date wasn't passed off to one of his dayshift minions." Warrick let out a disbelieving sigh and finished getting ready with a quick brush down of his suit jacket.

"He'll do anything just to put us through hell." He threaded a hand through his hair. "Hey, I'll be okay. It's open and shut, every bit of evidence we have ties him back to the murder and Grissom's attempted murder." Catherine stood from the bench and gave Warrick a confident smile.

"Warrick, I know this is hard. Just pull Grissom from the equation and treat it as a simple murder case, it will make things a whole lot easier."

"Thanks Cath." He placed an arm on her shoulder, grateful for the advice and pulled her into a quick hug. "I'll see you next shift." Warrick kissed her on the forehead and left the locker room, making his way to the department Denali.

This is going to be hell.

TBC

A/n: I realised I was focussing a lot on Grissom and Sara (Even though that's the point of the story!) so I decided to have a scene between Catherine and Warrick discussing the attack. I felt it was an annoying plot hole. Hate it or love it, I don't mind. GSR will make another appearance. Please take a second to review, it won't kill you I promise!